Counterfeit Makeup Is Really Real And Really Scary

Beauty addicts love a good makeup sale. With prices for the good stuff continuing to climb and trends constantly changing, it's no wonder cosmetics fans look for discounts and even resort to dumpster diving in order to snag free designer cosmetics. Then, there are the knockoffs. There have always been counterfeit versions of high-end apparel and accessories – why not beauty products, too?

You may ultra-tempted by that $5 online listing for a Kylie Lip Kit (especially if it's sold out in every single authorized store), but step away from the computer. Counterfeit makeup is flat-out dangerous, and you're far better served buying a drugstore dupe. You may be aware of some terrible knockoff makeup stories, like the one about a blogger who suffered painful rashes and chemical burns, but every tale from the multi-million dollar counterfeit cosmetics industry is harrowing. Dangerous fake makeup can slowly poison your body and even cause cancer.

The industry of counterfeit beauty products is on the rise, but that doesn't mean you have to buy in. Here's what you need to know about knockoff makeup.

Illegal operations running out of mainland China don't often take the same sanitation measures as OSHA-regulated manufactures in the US. According to Greg Marrazzo, the Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel of Estée Lauder Companies, the factories that produce knockoffs are horrifically dirty:

"If I could paint a picture of what it's like in one of these [counterfeit factories in China]... If you took the most disgusting frat house bathroom, it looks like a surgical suite compared to these conditions. It’s filthy, there’s bacteria everywhere... it’s disgusting."

It's terrible to think about people working in those conditions. The bacteria found in those factories tends to seep into the makeup they produce, too.

It may be tempting to snag that faux Kyshadow, but it's not the same thing as carrying a knockoff handbag. These products are used on sensitive parts of your body and can deeply affect your health. There's a reason the FDA has to approve makeup ingredients.

According to FBI reports, counterfeit makeup can include carcinogens. This means that over time, the use of that fake Jeffree Star liquid lipstick can actually give you cancer.

You're probably not in a huge rush to bathe your lips in paint thinner – but that's exactly what you could be doing if you use counterfeit makeup. It's also likely that you're slathering yourself in toxic metals like lead and mercury.

According to the FBI, counterfeit cosmetics can contain paint thinner, which irritates the eyes, nose, and throat in addition to being flammable and poisonous. Mercury and lead are also sometimes found in makeup knockoffs, which can lead to heavy metal poisoning. Mercury poisoning has long-term health effects including headaches, lack of coordination, vision impairment, mood swings, and insomnia. Lead poisoning can cause a number of similar long-term health problems, as well as miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.

In the best case scenario, being exposed to dangerous heavy metals and toxic chemicals in counterfeit makeup causes swelling, rashes, irritation, and chemical burns. Those symptoms subside should subside after use is discontinued.

Counterfeit makeup can contain arsenic (also known as rat poison). The Guardianspeculates that it finds its way into makeup through rats. The unsanitary factories that produce knockoffs are often infested with rats and loaded with poison to keep them away.

Arsenic is the opposite of something you'd want in makeup. In fact, your eyelids can actually fuse together if you use an eye product that contains it. In addition, continued exposure to arsenic can cause drowsiness, headaches, diarrhea, and confusion. In extreme cases, arsenic poisoning can lead to seizures, impaired hearing, cancer, and death.